The Feasts of the Lord

Leviticus 23:4 “These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.”

Listed above are the Holy Days of the LORD (YHWH), which are to be observed in their times and seasons as they have been commanded in the faith of Jesus Christ. All these days are special unto the Lord, each has their own meaning and by his knowledge we determine how to keep them holy.

Apocrypha Ecclesiasticus 33:7 “Why doth one day excel another, when as all the light of every day in the year is of the sun?” Verse 8: “By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished: and he altered seasons and feasts.” Verse 9: “Some of them hath he made high days, and hallowed [were made holy or sacred] them, and some of them hath he made ordinary days.”

These days are distinguished by the laws of the Heavenly Father from the rest of the days in the year. For they are rich in the history and heritage of Israel. Apocrypha Ecclesiasticus 24:23 “All these things are the book of the covenant of the most high God, even the law which Moses commanded for an heritage unto the congregations of Jacob.”

The Lord requires of us to make a difference between the regular days and the Sabbaths by applying the laws that pertains to each day. Ezekiel 20:19 “I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;” Verse 20: “And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.”

The weekly Sabbath is a commemoration of the creation. While the other Sabbaths of the feasts celebrate a different historical event. Unlike the weekly Sabbath the feast days are based on the new moon. Apocrypha Ecclesiasticus 43:6 “He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign of the world.” Verse 7: “From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.” Our calendar strictly comes from the Heavenly Father that established it during the creation. Therefore our months are determined by the moon in their seasons. Please read, Instruments of Calculation.

With the keeping of the feast days comes an immediate reward, which is the joy of the Lord. For all these days are known to Israel to be days of gladness and of sending gifts. An example is the feast of Purim, Esther 9:19 “Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.” Verse 22: “As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.”

These are the days we should celebrate and give gifts to our children and family, instead of honoring pagan days that teach lies and lead to destruction. Great joy comes to all Israel when the days are kept in unity to praise the Lord as it were in the days of Hezekiah. 2nd Chronicles 30:21 “And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.” It was such great gladness that the people kept it for seven more days. 2nd Chronicles 30:23 “And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.”

Remember that we were punished with captivity because we chose not to serve the Lord with Joy. Deuteronomy 28:47 “Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;” Verse 48: “Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.”

Even in our captivity (slavery), when we have lack and seem to be in troublesome times, putting on the commandments gives us strength and joy. Nehemiah 8:9 “And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha [governor], and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.” At this time our people returned from captivity to observe the laws of the Heavenly Father and they wept for a righteous cause, for they learned of their sins. Yet the teachers encouraged the people by reminding them of the commandments and of the holy day. Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

This same unspeakable joy we want to instill in our people. By teaching them how rich and glorious is our history and future in the Lord. For the Lord will bless us for keeping his holy days. Isaiah 58:13 “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:” Verse 14: “Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

We can not use our captivity or poverty as an excuse to not observe these days. For our fathers in their harsh times observed the days as holy. Tobit 2:1 “Now when I was come home again, and my wife Anna was restored unto me, with my son Tobias, in the feast of Pentecost, which is the holy feast of the seven weeks, there was a good dinner prepared me, in the which I sat down to eat.” Verse 2: “And when I saw abundance of meat, I said to my son, Go and bring what poor man soever thou shalt find out of our brethren, who is mindful of the Lord; and, lo, I tarry for thee.”

In the Assyrian captivity (slavery) we read of Tobit who observed the feast of Pentecost (first fruits) and gave us an example to follow after. In that he showed unity with his family and those that sought the most High. We should follow the same pattern of Tobit, that if you live in a location that is not near the congregation, you will observe it at home with your family and fellow Israelites.

We must remind you that the sacrifices that were done by the Levites was a shadow of the body of Christ. See, Hebrews 10:1. Thus we are under the royal priesthood of Christ. Hebrews 10:10 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Also the ordinance of going to Jerusalem three times in the year for the feast of Passover, First Fruits and Tabernacles (read, Deuteronomy 16:16) is a commandment that will be kept in the kingdom, the new Jerusalem. Hebrews 13:10 “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.” Verse 11: “For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.” Verse 12: “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” Verse 13: “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.” Verse 14: “For HERE have we no continuing city, but we seek one to COME.”

As explained, we do have an altar but it is not by the blood of bulls and goats. Hebrews 13:15 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Verse 16: “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” These are the sacrifices that we do give continually before the most High in the name of his Son Jesus Christ.

As true followers of Christ we rehearse the joy that is to come to us by the glorious kingdom. See, Zechariah 14:16. For we know what these days mean and how they shall be observed in the presence of Christ in the kingdom of heaven. Therefore we exhort you to learn your heritage and avoid the false prophets that teach contrary to the laws of God. Please read, Matthew 7:13-20 and Ezekiel 22:25-28. Shalam (Peace)!


The Feast Days
Feast dates of 2024